Twins sign outfielder Chris Heisey

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Twins signed outfielder Chris Heisey to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

Heisey, 33, appeared in 38 games with Washington last season, batting .162 with one homer and five RBI. He broke into the majors in 2010 with the Reds and hit a career-high 18 homers the next season.

That will give the Twins 54 players in camp, down from 63 a year ago. But General Manager Thad Levine said the club continues to look for ways to boost the starting rotation as well as a bat off the bench. With about 100 free agents still unsigned, there’s a chance the Twins could add another player or two as training camps open this week.

Pitchers and catchers reported to camp on Tuesday. Here are a few odds and ends:

• Ervin Santana will not join the club until the weekend. The veteran starter has a follow up appointment later this week in New York, where he recently had surgery on his right middle finger. He is expected to be ready to pitch around May 1.

• Kyle Gibson worked out at Hammond Stadium on Monday but will not rejoin the club until his arbitration hearing this week is resolved. Gibson filed for a $4.55 million salary this season while the Twins want to pay him $4.2 million, leaving a $355,000 gap.

• Rod Carew, looking fit and strong, wandered through the Twins’ clubhouse with Tony Oliva and stopped to shake hands with Joe Mauer. Ten batting titles in that handshake; thirteen if you count Oliva’s presence. Coincidentally, Mauer was on his way to the batting cage.

• Pitcher Tyler Duffey gave up his No. 56 to Fernando Rodney, and when Glen Perkins retired, Jason Castro grabbed No. 15, his old number with the Astros. So Duffey took Castro’s No. 21. Duffey agreed that wearing Roger Clemens’ original number has to be good luck for a Texan.

• Justin Morneau will join the Fox Sports North broadcast team at times this year as an analyst, FSN announced. The former Twins standout officially retired earlier this year.

• The Twins will scout former National League Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum when he has a showcase in Seattle on Thursday.